Photography Business Startup Secrets | Winging It Is Not A Business Strategy: 6 Tips To Start A Photography Business The Right Way

Photography Business Startup Secrets | Photography is one of the most popular hobbies and professions right now – and for good reason: it’s creative, it’s fun, you get to meet tons of new and interesting people. And if you’re passionate about it, starting your own photography business sounds like a dream come true. After all, you’ve got a few gigs under your belt, and all your friends and family say that the photos you take are absolutely stunning, so you’re set, right? While taking great photos is a vital first step, it will take you only so far.

We’ve all seen many talented photographers start their own business, struggle to make ends meet for a few months, close down their business and go back to doing photography in their free time, while other far less talented photographers sail right by. What’s their secret? Is it luck? Better equipment? Not really! There’s a difference being between being a hobbyist and a professional, and while talent is great for both, to turn pro, you’ll need to be just as great at the business side of things as you are at the more creative photography side. The good news is that the business aspect doesn’t have to be as difficult (or boring) as many photographers believe!

Have A Plan | Photography Business Startup Secrets

The very first thing most successful business owners will tell you to take care of is a business plan – after all, in order to achieve your goals, first you need to know what they actually are. Having a solid business plan will not only allow you to track your progress and keep you motivated and on the right track even when you don’t feel like doing anything, but it will also allow you to find the best tools to achieve your goals quickly and efficiently, and leave you plenty of time to focus on what matters the most – photography. It will be your own personalized guide to success!

Be Detailed | Photography Business Startup Secrets

Writing a business plan isn’t something you can do over a cup of coffee with a friend, and it isn’t a dream book. “Be successful and wildly popular before homecoming reunion!” isn’t really a business goal (even though it totally is a valid life goal!). We’re talking about a detailed document clearly defining your business idea: in order to be effective, your business plan needs to cover finances such as initial capital, loans, and even expected costs, as well as other things such as your target audience, income predictions and goals, and so on.

Your Target Audience Will Make Or Break Your Business | Photography Business Startup Secrets

The knee-jerk reaction of most photographers when they turn pro is to take every gig coming their way in order to cover those startup expenses and make ends meet, which initially might sound like the best idea. However, you’ll have a much better chance of succeeding if you clearly define your target audience and your area of specialization. Not only will this critical decision affect your decisions when it comes to purchasing the camera gear and setting up a marketing strategy, but it will also make standing out and establishing yourself as a reliable industry expert a lot easier.

Know Your Worth | Photography Business Startup Secrets

While many photographers feel extremely uncomfortable discussing money, it’s important you sort your prices as soon as you turn pro. Keep in mind that you’ll need to do your research – first, you need to figure out how much you will need to charge in order to bring in profits, but also do your research and find out how much other photographers are charging for similar services so you can make sure your prices are competitive. Whatever you decide to do, don’t leave it up to your potential clients to set the terms. After all, if you don’t know your own worth, how is anyone else supposed to know it? And besides, it’s always a better idea to have a starting point, even if you do have to lower the price to secure a potential gig that to let your prospects haggle you.

The very first thing you’ll need to do when you start thinking about marketing the services and products you’re providing is set up an effective website. And no, it’s not optional if you’re serious about your business. Your potential clients are out there doing their research and checking out the photography websites long before they reach out to the photographer they might be considering to hire, and your business needs to be online. Whenever we design a website for a client, we make sure they all have a few things in common: simple design so the images stand out, straightforward navigation for perfect usability, and we make sure they’re responsive, so they’re just as effective regardless of the device being used to view it.

Rock Your Online Marketing | Photography Business Startup Secrets

However, just because you set up a website, it doesn’t mean your potential clients will come rushing in. Even the most appealing website won’t do you much good unless people actually visit it, which is why you’ll need to tackle online marketing and boost your outreach. If tackling social media and search engine optimization feels a bit overwhelming, especially when you’re just starting out and juggling too many things at once, you’ll want to consider investing in a monthly contract with a reputable SEO agency to get the most out of your website.

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Media Novak designed a beautiful website for me and I’m very satisfied with it. They listened to what I wanted and tailored the site to fit me and I really appreciate that. Their prices are reasonable and the quality is fantastic. I would highly recommend this company.

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MediaNovak is a creative design agency that specializes in web design, online marketing, graphic design and corporate identity solutions. We started our company with some basic ideals—offer our customers exceptional design, while delivering a positive customer experience.

These ideals have helped grow our business and drive customers to our door. A majority of our business comes simply from “word of mouth” referrals—one customer telling another of the experience that we offer here. We consider this the ultimate compliment.